The Guru Report: Padilla and Spruill on Mid-Major Watch List While Atlantic Coast Conference Picks Announced

By Noreen Dougherty

Penn’s Kayla Padilla and La Salle’s Kayla Spruill have landed on the Becky Hammon combined Mid-Major Conferences national player of the year watch list. Here’s the complete list while under that are the Atlantic Coast Conference team and player forecasts by its media Blue Ribbon panel of which the Guru is one of the national voting representatives.

The Blue Ribbon group also choses the ACC weekly player and freshman awards as well as the conference’s postseason honors.

Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List

1. Destinee Wells (Belmont)

2. Lexi Fleming (Bowling Green) 

3. McKenna Hofschild (Colorado State)

4. Abbey HSU (Columbia)

5. Tishara Morehouse (FGCU)

6. Brynna Maxwell (Gonzaga)

7. Kayla Spruill (La Salle)

8. Sam Breen (Massachusetts)

9. Peyton Scott (Miami OH)

10. Megan Walstad (Milwaukee)

11. Katelyn Young (Murray State)

12. Shaiquel McGruder (New Mexico)

13. Skyler Gill (North Alabama)

14. A’Jah Davis (Northern Illinois)

15. Kayla Padilla (Penn)

16. Alex Fowler (Portland)

17. Mackenzie DeWees (Quinnipiac)

18. Addie Budnik (Richmond)

19. Isnelle Natabou (Sacramento State)

20. Brooke Flowers (Saint Louis)

21. Ioanna Krimili (San Francisco)

22. Myah Selland (South Dakota State)

23. Quinesha Lockett (Toledo)

24. Starr Jacobs (UT Arlington)

25. Jordyn Jenkins (UTSA)

Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason Player of the Year

Elizabeth Kitley, Sr., C, Virginia Tech
 
Blue Ribbon Panel Preseason All-ACC Team (60 voters)

Elizabeth Kitley, Sr., C, Virginia Tech (49 first-place votes)
Hailey Van Lith, Jr., G, Louisville (7)
Olivia Miles, So., G, Notre Dame (3)
Deja Kelly, Jr., G, North Carolina
Diamond Johnson, Jr., G, NC State
Jakia Brown-Turner, Sr., F, NC State
Jewel Spear, Jr., G, Wake Forest
Ashley Owusu, Sr., G, Virginia Tech
Morgan Jones, Grad., G, Louisville (1)
Taylor Soule, Grad., G, Virginia Tech
 
Blue Ribbon Panel Newcomer Watch List

Ashley Owusu, Sr., G, Virginia Tech
Saniya Rivers, So., G, NC State
Dyaisha Fair, Sr., G, Syracuse
Ta'Niya Latson, Fr., G, Florida State
(tie) Haley Cavinder, Sr., G, Miami
(tie) Ruby Whitehorn, Fr., G, Clemson
 
Blue Ribbon Panel Predicted Order of Finish (60 voters)

Louisville (31) - 1068
Virginia Tech (17) - 984
NC State (8) - 963
Notre Dame (4) - 942
North Carolina - 895
Miami - 674
Duke - 627
Georgia Tech - 623
Florida State - 553
Syracuse - 379
Virginia - 303
Clemson - 275
Boston College - 271
Wake Forest - 256
Pittsburgh - 187